Apparatus for pumping and heating viscous material



Jan. 18, 1944. 2,339,741

APPARATUS FOR PUMPING AND HEATING VISCOUS MATERIAL H. A. CARTWRIGHT'Filed Aug. 1, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet 1' INVENTOR I f/omcf [brfwr/yfifATTORNEY Jah. 18, 1944. H. A. CA RTWIIQIGHT APPARATUS FOR PUMPING ANDHEATING VISCOUS MATERIAL Filed Aug. 1, l94l 2 Sheets-SheetZ PatentedJan. 18, 1944 UNITED STATES OFFICE APPARATUS FORPUIHPING AND HEATINGVISCOUS MATERIAL Horace A. Cartwright, Independence, Kans. ApplicationAugust 1, 1941, Serial No. 405,082

6 Claims.

This invention relates to apparatus for'pumping and heating viscousmaterial and more particularly to apparatus forpumping and heatingasphalt and similar materials wherein the as- 'phalt may be'so treatedas to facilitate its trans- "fer from storage receptacles, such as tankcars,

to distributors, such as truck tanks, through an apparatus constructedin accordance with the resent invention.

The principal objects of the present invention -are'to provide aconvenientyrelatively economiflow pressures on the material; to providea com- .pact pumping apparatus in a portable, substantially universallyoperable unit; to protect the material being worked upon fromexcessively high temperatures; to provide for application of materialmeltingheatnt points of greatest utility relative to flow of thematerial; andto provide improved elements andarrangements thereof in anapparatus of the character and for-the purpose noted.

In accomplishing these and other objects of the invention, Ihaveprovided improveddetails .of structure, the preferred form 'ofwhichis illustrated in the accompanying drawings herein:

Fig. l is. anend elevational viewof a pumping I and heating apparatusembodying the present invention, the same being shown in appliedposition relative to material in the tank car, the tank car being shownin vertical transverse cross-section.

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of'my improved apparatus incompactedtraveling condition.

Fig. 3 is a detail elevational view of the universal mounting for thepump, partsof the joints thereof being shown in cross-section .to betterillustrate their construction.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary plan view of the pump arranged as shown in Fig.2.

Fig. 5 is a detail vertical cross-sectionthrough the pump drivesubstantiallyon -the line '5-5,

in turn,,.supported on trucks 6, the wheels 1 of which ride on rails 8that are suitably mounted on a road bed 9. The tank car is provided'witha suitable fill opening I!) and an outlet connection H, which isprovided with a valve l2 that may be manipulated from a point adjacentthe fill opening by a suitable handling device.

A tank car, such as that described, is ordinarily spotted at a point asnear as possible to the scene of operations, such as a road buildingtract on which the asphalt in the tank is to be used. It has heretoforebeen the practiceto apply a'hose to the outlet ll fromthe tank andwithdraw the asphalt from the tank by suction applied from a relativelydistant point. This arrangement-ordinarily requires pre-heating thematerial to a flowing temperature and results in inconveniences-in timeand expense for performing that preliminary operation.

The present invention contemplates the provision of a swingable frame l3upon-which a pump M is mounted, the pump having a union flange l5engageable with a mating union element It, which element it isengageable, as at IT, with the tank outlet H. The pump It has a drivingconnection it with a suitable power transmission apparatus l9 connectedwith and driven by a suitable engine 29, the transmission and enginealso preferably being mounted on the swingable frame l3.

The swingable frame has upstanding'supporting flanges Zl and 22 onopposite sides thereof,

the upper ends of which have bearings 23 journaled on trunnions 23' inflanges 24 that are mounted on the ends of supporting arms 25. The endsof the arms 25, opposite the flanges 24, are provided with bosses '26 inwhich trunions of a shaft 21 are mounted, as particularly shown in Fig.3. The shaft 2'! is preferably horizontally arranged, whereby the arms25 and frame l3 may be moved vertically to adjust the same as to height.The shaft 21 is journaled in a collar 28 that has an upstanding shaft 29rotatably mounted in a vertically arranged collar 30 and held in suchrelation by a fastening connection 3|. The collar 30 forms a part of astandard 32, which preferably is provided with .a post 33 and a bracingarm 34 that are mounted on the bed '35 of a portable booster conveyance,such as the pipes I! and I02.

from a position as shown in Fig. 2 to a position adjacent the tank caroutlet connection II, as shown in Fig. 1.

In order to accurately adjust the pump I4, and particularly the unionthereof relative to the tank car outlet, a jack is provided, asparticularly shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, which jack preferably consistsof a U-shaped strap 35 depending from the trunnions 36 on the arms andin pivotal relation thereto. A jack base element 3'! is mounted on thestrap and a jack element 38 projects upwardly into engagement with thelower face of the web 39 of a bracket 40 that is fixed to the collar 28approximately in the horizontal plane of the collar 28. It will beapparent that manipulation of the jack 37-38 forces the inner end4 I,Fig. 1, of the arms 25 downwardly to pivot the shaft 21 in the collar 28and raise the frame I3 and consequently the pump I4.

The swingable frame and pump being constructed and arranged as shown inFig. 1 and the engine having been started, relatively great suction isapplied to the material in the tank car to draw the same out of the carand into a pipe that forms an outlet from the pump. The pipe 45 has apreferably QO-degree swing joint 45 therein, from which joint the pipeextends, as at 47, to a pair of QO-degree swing joints 48 and 49. Thejoints 48 and 49 are provided with a connection 53 that leads to theinlet 5!, Fig. 6, of a heater 52, thatis mounted on the bed 35 of thetrailer 36.

The trailer chassis may be of suitable design and provided with asuitable substructure 53, adjustable standards 54 and 55 being mountedat one end of the trailer to support the same if and when it is desiredto remove the tractor, not shown, from the trailer. The heater 52 issuitably secured to the bed 35 of the trailer and rests on bolsters 58.

The heater preferably includes an outer shell 60, which is preferably ofelliptical cross-section, as shown in Fig. 1. One end. of the shell isprovided with an exhaust gas stack 52, on the top of the shell 30.

It will be apparent from Fig. 1 that material is pumped from the tankcar to the inlet 5! of the heater. From the heater 52. the asphalt isforced through the outlet to a connection 88, Fig. 1, that leads into a3-way valve 89. From the 3-way valve 89, a pipe section 90, having apair of 90- degree swing joints 9|, communicates with a pipe 82, leadingto a distributor tank, or other suitable point of disposal.

From another outlet of the valve 89, a pair of QO-degree swing joints 33lead into a section 94 that is provided with preferably QO-degree swingjoints 95 communicating with a pipe 96 that extends to a point adjacentthe fill opening H! of the tank 3. Swing joints 97 on the pipe 96communicate with a pipe section 98 that preferably extends through theasphalt in the tank, the lower end 99 of the section 98 being arrangedadjacent the outlet connection II from the tank.

The relatively high viscosity of asphalt and similar road treatingmaterials would ordinarily make it diflicult for the pump I4, alone, tocirculate the asphalt through the system above described. In order forcirculation of the asphalt to be of benefit in treating the asphalt in atank to make it flow more freely, and make it, further, suitable forapplication to a road, for example, heat is applied to the heater 52.This is preferably accomplished by providing a burner I09, which issuitably provided with fuel through the The burner may be of anysuitable type and is mounted on the shell as at I03. A nozzle I05 leadsfrom the burner into an inlet stack I06 that may be insulated. The stackI06 directs the hot gases and products of combustion of the burner I00into the heater to heat the asphalt therein.

As shown in Fig. 2', a blower fan or the like may be used for aiding inthe heating of the asphalt and may be driven by a suitable prime mover,such as an engine I28 that is mounted on a standard I29 adjacent therear end of the bed 35 of the trailer unit.

The operation of an apparatus constructed as described is as follows:

Fig. 2, is drawn by a suitable tractor to a point adjacent a storagereceptacle, such as the tank car, whereupon it may be unhooked from thetractor and supported by the trailer wheels and standards 54 and 55. Theframe I3 is then pivoted outwardly relative to the heater on the hearing30 and swing joint 49, whereupon the frame 13 may be pivoted downwardlyon the collar 23 and swing joint 48 approximately to the position shownin Fig. 1. The jack 3'I-3B may then be manipulated to accurately adjustthe union iii of the pump I4, relative to the tank car outlet connectionII, the outlet and pump then being united to form a fluid tight joint.

The engine 20 is then energized to actuate the pump I4 which, because ofits relatively close proximity to the material acted upon, efficientlywithdraws material regardless of its relatively high viscosity andforces it through the pipes 41 and 50 into the inlet 5|, Fig. 6, of theheater.

The burner I00 is then ignited to supply hot air or other gases to theheater, after which they are dissipated or exhausted to atmospherethrough the stack 62.

Relative viscosity of the asphalt is reduced in the heater and, from theheater, the asphalt is forced through the outlet 87, first through the3-way valve 89 into and through the pipes 94, 36 and 98, back to a pointadjacent the outlet connection I I of the tak car where it acts on theasphalt to melt the same and make it flow freely through the pump, thusreducing the work required of the pump and speeding up operations.

The asphalt in the tank car is thus quickly and efficiently renderedeasily flowable and the 3- way valve 89 may then be manipulated todirect the heated asphalt through the pipes and 92 to a suitable pointof disposal.

It will be apparent that the heater itself carries a considerable amountof asphalt and if desired, loads of asphalt may be carried in the heaterto suitable points of disposal.

An advantage of the present arrangement is that'the apparatus can beleft full of material when it is desired to heat another tank car of thesame material. This has been possible with other apparatus when theywere going to hook right onto another car, but heavy material could notbe allowed to cool in the apparatus as it would be injured in reheating.Even if the burners were turned low, there would be danger of cokingunless the material were circulated as it was heated. The presentadvantage is that with this recirculation principle, with the burnerturned low and the blower at high speed, the

temperature of the gases entering the flues can be cut as low as steamwhich will not harm the fmaterial with no circulation of the material.

The arrangement provided for emptying the apparatus is as follows. Whenthe tank car is empty the pump is reversed and the material is pumpedfrom the booster back into the tank car. A hose is then hooked onto thedrain connection at the bottom of the booster and the material is pumpeddirectly from the tank car through the hose. This could be changed butit is the preferable and, it is believed, the simplest way.

When a suitable amount of asphalt has been treated and disposed of, theengine may be shut down; the union disconnected between the tank caroutlet and pump; and the frame l3 and pipes 94, 96 and 98 returned totheir relative positions shown in Fig, 2, whereupon the trailer may betransported to other desired places such as additional sources of supplyof asphalt to be treated.

;It is apparent, therefore, that the present apparatus provides aconvenient, relatively economical and highly efiicient manner oftreating and transferring materials, such as asphalt, from a. source ofsupply to a point of use.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In an apparatus of the character described,

a reservoir for congealed viscous material to be heated having an outletconnection below the surface of said material, a pump including ahousing having an inlet connection directly connectable with saidreservoir outlet connection whereby substantially all of the suction ofthe pump is applied directly to the material in the reservoir, a heater,a conduit leading from the pump to the heater, and means for actuatingthe pump for efiecting removal of said material from the reservoir anddelivery of said material to the heater.

2. In an apparatus for removing congealed viscous material from a tankhaving an outlet connection in a lower portion thereof, a portablesupport, a pump including a housing having an inlet connection, meanshingedly mounting the pump on the support whereby said pump may be movedinto alignment with the tank outlet connection for connection therewith,and means actuating the pump for effecting removal of the 1 materialfrom the tank.

3. In an apparatus for removing congealed viscous material from astorage tank provided with an outlet extending downwardly from the lowerportion of said tank, a support, a pump having a housing provided withan inlet, means hingedly mounting the pump on the support for movementof the pump inlet into alignment with the tank outlet for directconnection therewith, a

heating means, a conduit leading from the pump to the heating means, andmeans for actuating the pump to efiect removal of the viscous materialfrom the tank and delivery thereof to the heating means.

4. In an apparatus for heating and removing congealed viscous materialfrom a tank having an outlet in the lower portion thereof, a portableheating means, a pump having an inlet connection, means hingedlymounting the pump on the heating means for support thereon in travelingposition, means for swinging the pump mounting means to position thepump under the tank outlet, means for securing the pump inlet to thetank outlet, a conduit leadin from the pump to the heating means, andmeans supported by the pump mounting means for actuating the pump foreifecting removal of said viscous material from the tank and delivery ofsaid material to the heating means.

5. In an apparatus for removing congealed viscous material from a tankhaving an outlet connection in the lower portion thereof, a portablesupport, a pump including a housing having an inlet connection, an armhaving one end hingedly mounted on the support, means pivotally mountingthe pump on the other end of said arm whereby said arm may be moved toposition the pump under the tank outlet and the pump pivoted to alignthe inlet connection thereon with the outlet connection of the tank forconnection therewith regardless of difference in elevation of thesupport and tank outlet, and means for actuating the pump for eifectingremoval of the material from the tank.

6. In an apparatus for removing congealed viscous material from a tankhaving an outlet connection in the lower portion thereof, a'portableheater, a pump including a housing having an inlet connection, means foractuating the pump, a frame carrying the pump and actuating means, anarm, means pivotally mounting the frame on one end of the arm, meanshingedly mounting the other end of the arm on the heater whereby the armmay be moved to position the pump under the tank outlet connection andthe frame pivoted to align the pump inlet connection with the tankoutlet connection for attachment thereto for ellecting removal of thematerial from said tank, and a conduit connecting the pump with theheater for effecting delivery of the material thereto,

HORACE A. CARTWRIGHT.

